


Housewarming

by a_windsor



Series: Thing!verse [9]
Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-02-14
Updated: 2011-02-16
Packaged: 2017-12-10 12:00:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/785830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_windsor/pseuds/a_windsor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With a second baby on the way, Callie and Arizona enter the world of homeownership.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

***

Arizona walks into the apartment and is greeted at the door by her beautiful son, dressed in his Johns Hopkins t-shirt and tiny baby jeans. She scoops him up so that she can look into his big brown eyes after she drops her bag on the kitchen counter.

“Momma,” he greets.

“Little man.”

Asa grins widely.

“Love of my life.”

He giggles adoringly.

“Light of my world,” she brushes her nose against his. “What have you done with your madre?”

The twenty-two-month-old drops his forehead onto Arizona’s shoulder, tiny arms looping around her neck.

“Well, that was helpful,” Arizona murmurs, pressing a kiss into her son’s forehead. “Calliope?”

“In here,” Callie moans pitifully from the bathroom in their room.

Arizona carries Asa back towards his madre.

“Ma-mee sick.”

“Oh, Calliope, still? I’m sorry.”

Callie has her head propped up against the porcelain of the toilet, face gaunt, eyes dark-circled and miserable.

“This is your fault. _He_ was never this much trouble.”

That’s true; they’d gotten very lucky with their first born. It had been an astoundingly easy pregnancy, and Asa had been (and still is?) a ridiculously easy baby. But, despite Arizona’s warnings that Robbins babies had a history of notoriously difficult pregnancies, Callie insisted that _this_ time she wanted a “little Arizona”.

Arizona wisely doesn’t bring that up now.

“I’m really sorry,” she says instead. “But I got us a time lined up with the realtor, tomorrow. He found us four places he’ll take us to, right after our shifts.”

Callie tries really hard to brighten at that idea, but, god, second trimester morning sickness is brutal.

“That’s great.”

“I know! I’d love to get into a new place before the baby comes. And that way, I’ll have to do all the heavy lifting.”

Callie chuckles then. “I told Aria we’d conscript Blake into helping us move,” she wipes her face and tries sitting all the way up. “And Mark and Owen. Plus, you have Karev’s attending fate in your hot little hands, and ortho residents are always good for all that kinda stuff.”

“We sound like terrible lesbians, needing men to do everything for us.”

“We’re brilliant lesbians, _getting_ men to do everything for us.”

“Excellent spin. Do you, uh, _want_ dinner?”

Callie makes a face.

“Okay yeah,” Arizona grimaces. “Didn’t think so. Well, how about you go lie down for a little bit? I’ll feed Asa and give him a bath, and then you can read him his stories.”

“I can do bath time, too.”

Arizona purses her lips sternly. “We’ll just see how you feel.”

“Pregnant, not dying,” Callie reminds, annoyed. “In fact, quite the opposite. Two lives for the price of one.”

“Oh, ha ha,” Arizona rolls her eyes. “Go lie down. I’ll handle the little man.”

“There are leftovers in the fridge. Please don’t try to cook for him.”

“You are so mean to me when you’re puking,” Arizona pouts as she carries Asa back to the kitchen.

“Because I have a mini-you inside of me that’s ruining food for me!” Callie calls back, but the smile is evident in her voice.

***

The next day Callie’s feeling a lot better and makes it through her entire surgical schedule while only puking once. It’s a victory. She grabs Asa from daycare and goes to meet Arizona in the lobby so that they can go try to find a house.

“Callie!”

Callie spins around at the sound of her name, recognizing the voice but not believing it could be who she thinks it is.

“ _Mrs. O’Malley_?!”

Yes, in fact, it is.

Her former mother-in-law envelopes her in a giant hug, as best she can when Callie has her arms full of twenty-two-month-old Asa. The boy giggles at the strange, grandmotherly lady who is attack-hugging them.

“Oh my goodness, Callie. Is this beautiful little one yours? Look at him!”

“Mrs. O’Malley, what are you doing here?”

“I was, just... Thinking of Georgie,” Mrs. O’Malley sighs, fingers tracing up Asa’s tiny little arm. “Is this your son?”

Callie smiles, watching as her beloved boy easily, charmingly accepts the stranger’s attention, flirtatiously ducking his head into his mami’s shoulder.

“Yes. This is Asa. Asa, can you say hello to Mrs. O’Malley, m’ijo?”

“Hi hi,” Asa says softly.

“He looks just like you,” Mrs. O’Malley notes, almost sadly, thinking of lost opportunities.

“Let’s sit,” Callie suggests, gesturing them towards the empty chairs of the waiting area.

She settles Asa into one of the chairs, and Louise O’Malley sits beside him. George’s mother finally takes her eyes off of Asa as Callie stretches out her back.

“Callie, are you?”

Callie smiles again, a hand on her slight baby bump. “Baby Number Two. Asa’s going to have a little sister in about four months.”

“A little girl! How wonderful. So you’ve been good?”

“I’ve been great, obviously,” she says, looking adoringly at Asa. “How are you holding up? How are Jerry and Ronny? Have they given you any grandbabies yet?”

“One on the way,” Louise smiles happily. “A little boy. Probably around the same time you are due! So, I’m good. Knitting away.”

“I can imagine.”

“I’m so happy I ran into you. I didn’t know you remarried!”

Callie swallows nervously. “Yeah, um...”

“Momma!” Asa cries happily, looking over Louise’s shoulder.

Callie hears the tell-tale sound of Arizona wheeling over to them. She turns as Asa squirms out of the chair and toddles quickly towards his momma with his amazing smile in place. Arizona immediately squeaks to a halt so that she’ll be steady when she catches him. She scoops him up and peppers his face with kisses.

“Yeah, so, not quite remarried. It’s not legal. Not yet.”

Mrs. O’Malley’s eyes widen but, to her credit, she manages to keep a smile in place.

Arizona spends a few extra moments talking to Asa in their strange little mother-son shorthand of giggles, silliness, and Eskimo kisses before she brings him over.

“Arizona, this is Louise O’Malley, George’s mom. Mrs. O’Malley, this is Arizona Robbins, my partner.”

It’s Arizona’s turn to look a little shocked, but she throws out a super magic smile and switches Asa onto one hip, extending her hand.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. O’Malley.”

“You, too, Dr. Robbins. Your son is beautiful, and I hear congratulations are in order,” Mrs. O’Malley says sweetly.

“Thank you. We’re super excited. Right, Asa? I’m sorry about your son. George was a great man. I didn’t work with him too often, but we all miss him.”

Mrs. O’Malley softens even more, hanging onto her hand just a little while longer before releasing it with a squeeze.

“Thank you.”

“Hey, how about Asa and I give you a minute? We’ll go grab my stuff from the attendings lounge and meet you there?”

“Thanks, babe. I’ll see you in a sec.”

Arizona smiles once more. “Goodbye, Mrs. O’Malley.”

“It was lovely to meet you, Dr. Robbins.”

When Asa and Arizona have disappeared back up the stairs, Callie lets out a shaky sigh. This is a very strange situation, and she’s not quite sure how to move forward. She’s not _ashamed_ of her family; she never has been. But introducing her son and, well, hopefully someday soon, new wife to her dead ex-husband’s extremely Catholic mother is nothing she ever considered having to face.

“She seems wonderful,” Mrs. O’Malley breaks the silence. “They seem very close, and she lights up around you.”

“She is wonderful,” Callie confirms. “And they’re... inseparable. It’s really cute.” They lapse into silence as Louise’s eyes get distant. “Are you alright, Mrs. O’Malley?”

“Oh, just thinking, what a fool my Georgie was to treat you how he did. Don’t you think you could’ve been happy together?”

Callie bites her lip, considering. She thinks if George could’ve committed fully to their marriage, emotionally and mentally, from the beginning, then yes. Yes, they could’ve been very happy together, with steady careers, a few kids, and a dog. And she would’ve been blissfully unaware that she’d lost out on the chance to be with the love of her life.

Which, honestly, sort of terrifies her.

“Yes,” she finally says aloud, because that’s the answer Louise wants to hear. “I think, under the right circumstances, we could’ve been happy. George was a great man. Just, lost.”

Mrs. O’Malley nods, obviously thinking of her late son.

“I should let you go, Callie.”

“Oh, yeah. We’re going house hunting this afternoon. I’m a little nervous.”

“You’ll know. When you’re in it, you’ll know it’s the house you’re supposed to raise your family in,” her former mother-in-law finally smiles.

“I hope so.”

***

“Hey, good talk?” Arizona asks with concern as Callie joins them in the attendings lounge, where Asa is “listening” for a heartbeat in his momma’s kneecap, her stethoscope loosely around his neck.

She’s in such a weird mood that the laugh that bubbles out of her mouth at the sight sounds hollow. Arizona’s brow wrinkles with more worry.

“Hey, Asa, go see if you can hear anything in Mami’s tummy,” she tries to lighten the room.

Asa toddles over dutifully, but he can’t really reach Callie’s stomach. His insistent tug on her jeans snaps her back to reality.

“Oh hey. Sorry, m’ijo. You wanna get up here and listen to your hermanita?”

The boy nods, “Sí, Mami,” even though at less than two he has very little concept of who/what/how his hermanita is. Callie sits down next to  
Arizona and pulls Asa into her lap, directing his stethoscope to her baby bump.

“Say: Baby, stop making Mami puke,” Arizona suggests.

“No make Mami puke, ‘nita,” Asa repeats solemnly.

“Buen trabajo, m’ijo,” [Good job,] Callie laughs, sounding more like herself.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, I am now. Wasn’t expecting _that_.”

“What are you thinking about?”

“Missed opportunities. And how close I came to never having you in my life. And how much that would _suck_.”

“You’re always so _romantic_ , Calliope,” Arizona teases.

“I’m serious. What if I’d still been married to George when you came to Seattle? What then? I would’ve never known...”

“Never known what?” Arizona prompts when Callie trails off.

Callie brushes Asa’s unruly hair out of his eyes and feels her heart constrict at the sight of his sweet, beloved face. She turns to Arizona’s equally beloved features.

“How to really be happy.”

Arizona super-magic smiles and leans in to kiss her softly.

“And here I thought you were gonna say how much you like breasts.”

Callie laughs. “Not in front of the baby.”

“He was breastfed; he likes boobs, too.”

“C’mon. We’re gonna be late, boob lady.”

“For the record, even though it really hurt you, I’m glad George was a cheating idiot. And that Erica couldn’t see what was in front of her. Because I really don’t know where I’d be without you.”

“You’d be the crazy chicken lady.”

“Asa! Are you gonna let her talk to me that way?”

***

“Okay, so this is the last one. This might be a little extreme, but you said you wanted a lot of space. This is a beautiful house, one of my favorites: great neighborhood, big lawn. But they’re having trouble selling it because it has so many bedrooms.”

“How many does it have?” Arizona asks Stephen, their young, eager real estate agent.

“Five upstairs. Plus a ground floor master suite.”

“Whoa,” Callie marvels.

“The family who built it originally had four kids, and they wanted them each to have their own room. Plus a guest room.”

“Four kids?” Callie questions.

“It’s less than ten,” Arizona teases, Asa on her hip.

Poor Stephen looks confused.

“It is.”

“And it fits in the rollercoaster rule,” Arizona grins cheekily.

For someone who once had a vocal and vehement objection to children, Arizona is kinda an addict now. Callie blames their obnoxiously cute son.

“So does two,” Callie counters, but she’s mostly kidding. Both are decided that they want more than two, and four sounds kinda chaotically perfect.

Arizona shrugs innocently.

“So, uh, you want to see the inside?”

They certainly do. The outside is welcoming, nicely landscaped but not overly so. And the length of time it’s been on the market has put it well within their (considerable) price range.

The inside is even better. Hardwood floors, a recently renovated kitchen, and a master suite with a bathtub to die for. A converted sun porch in the back, now enclosed to be the perfect downstairs playroom for Asa and his little sister. The upstairs? Five bedrooms: two pairs sharing jack-and-jill bathrooms and a nicely-sized guest room. It just seems too perfect to be true.

“Seriously?” Callie questions. “How is this still on the market?”

“Most people don’t want this much house to take care of,” Stephen shrugs.

Callie leaves Arizona and Stephen to discuss the finer points of offers, property taxes, and market prices, taking Asa with her to wander and get a feel for the house.

It’s better to let Arizona handle all this stuff; the majority of Callie’s real estate experience has consisted of dorms, crappy student apartments, hospital basements, and hotel rooms. Arizona is definitely the grown-up in their relationship when it comes to stuff like this. Callie thinks she could learn how to handle all of that stuff if she had to, but filling in each other’s weaknesses is one of the many perks of being part of a matched set.

She wanders out to the fenced backyard and sets Asa on the ground. He enjoys the freedom to run through the long grass while his mami stops dead in her tracks, noticing the left hand side of the property. She hears Arizona and the realtor at the back door and yells:

“Arizona! This is it.”

Stephen misinterprets her yelling and begins damage control.

“What? Oh, that. That can be removed. We’ll put it in the contract if you want the place. The last owners liked fresh eggs in the morning, so they had...”

“Chickens,” Arizona breathes as she walks out into the backyard. “Oh my goodness, Calliope. Chickens!”

Callie stands, grinning, next to the empty chicken coop placed along the fence.

“Chickens. It’s a sign.”

“A sign?” Stephen questions.

Arizona and Callie keep their wide eyes locked, having a silent conversation. Finally, Callie nods.

“We’ll take it,” Arizona tells the realtor. “It’s well within our budget, so put in an offer $5,000 below and we’ll negotiate up to asking price.”

“Okay. I’ll draw up the paperwork-”

“Yeah, do that. Can we, uh, have a minute?” Callie tries to say diplomatically, eyes still on Arizona, though her mother’s instincts keep her peripheral vision locked on their toddler, tripping his way around the backyard.

“Right. I, of course. I’ll go inside, call my office. They’ll get started on the paperwork, and then we’ll hammer out the details.”

“You’re sure?” Arizona questions when Stephen has retreated into the house. Her eyes are also still locked on Callie, but she’s momentarily distracted by the toddler running headlong into her knee. She bends to pick Asa up.

“I’m sure,” Callie nods firmly. “I loved it already, but this?” She gestures to the nearby chicken coop. “This is... fate or something.” Her hands drop to her gently expanded stomach. “I can just see all of us here. Asa and the baby, you and me. I can see the monstrous swingset Daddy will insist on buying. I can see me cooking in that kitchen and you and Asa cuddled up in the living room watching Disney movies. And I can see bringing _her_ home to this house.”

“And filling those other bedrooms?”

“Yeah,” Callie admits with a shocked laugh. “I think I actually can.”

“Me too,” Arizona says quietly, super magic smile in place, dropping a kiss to Asa’s head. “What about you, bubba? Want this house?”

Going off the leading tone in his mother’s voice, Asa says:

“Yeah!”

***

Callie’s never felt more grown up, sitting in the attorney’s office with all the real estate agents. And yes, she knows that’s odd, since she’s already a _mom_ with another baby on the way, but there’s something that feels very mature about signing a deed and financing a mortgage. There’s a lot of extra paperwork involved, too, since they’re still not married, by necessity of law rather than choice. A fact that’s been bothering her more and more since her run in with Mrs. O’Malley.

It’s inconceivable to her that, in the eyes of the law, she was more legitimately tied to George O’Malley, he of the Vegas wedding and months-long marriage, than she can ever be to Arizona. It’s been bothering her so much, in fact, that she even suggested a trip to Vancouver or to Massachusetts or one of the other dozen states where it is in fact legal, even if it wouldn’t be recognized by the state of Washington.

Arizona, however, believes that they’re very close to gay marriage on a national scale, keeping an eye on the multiple cases making their way up to the Supreme Court, and she wants to wait to do it right.

So they fill out the extra paperwork, and between joint bank accounts, their names on the mortgage, two kids, and waking up together every morning, it feels like they’re just waiting on a piece of paper.

A very important piece of paper.

The whole closing process is over with rather quickly, and Stephen happily hands over the keys with a few final details.

“Wanna go to the house?” Arizona questions. “We could pick Asa up from Mark’s on the way.”

“Yeah. That sounds perfect.”

Arizona smiles and squeezes her hand.

***  
tbc 


	2. Housewarming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a second baby on the way, Callie and Arizona enter the world of homeownership.

Arizona drops another box with a huff. She feels familiar brown eyes on her and looks up.

“Your mami is gonna be the death of me, little man.”

The very nearly two-year-old (just a matter of days) gives her a smile at “Mami”, but is otherwise unresponsive, dragging his now dusty blankie behind him as he toddles towards her.

Callie is a very stressful, strange mix of exhausted, cranky, and nesting. Apparently the movers (those hired and those volunteered) all put every single box in the wrong room. So now, the job has fallen to Arizona, in between satisfying odd late-term cravings and chasing a very active toddler.

“¿Comer, Momma?” said toddler asks sweetly.

“What was that, Asa?”

“¡Comer! I hambry.”

Crap. Spanglish baby. What did those words mean again?

“Momma,” he whines.

Crap. Crap. Crap.

“Can you try English for me, buddy?” she attempts, tone light.

The concept flies over his head.

“’Zanas,” Asa tries again, stamping his little foot. “ Wanna ‘zanas, _peease_.”

“Hey, don’t get angry,” Arizona reproaches softly, kneeling to his level despite the ache in her back from moving. She puts a hand on his shoulder. “Try again, please.”

“He’s hungry. _Hambre_ ,” Callie speaks up gently from the doorway. “He wants apples, I think. _Manzanas_. _Comer_ means eat.”

She holds up a little bowl of cut up apples.

“Right!” Arizona remembers, looking back to Asa. “Sorry, bubba. Momma’s gonna get the hang of this.”

“You’re doing great,” Callie says softly, coming into the living room and settling the snack down on a nearby box. Asa happily heads over.

“T’anks.”

“De nada, m’ijo,’ Callie holds a hand out to help Arizona up with a hesitant smile. “Sorry I yelled.”

Arizona uses Callie for leverage and pulls herself up.

“It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. You’re doing _a lot_ right now. I know that. I shouldn’t be a b-” She cuts her eyes to Asa. “A meanie.”

Arizona quirks her brow. “A meanie?”

“You two have ruined me,” Callie sighs. “And anyway, I’m sorry.”

“I appreciate it,” Arizona says honestly, stepping in closer and sliding her hands around Callie’s now prominent belly. “How are you feeling?”

“Like mini-you is going to break my bladder. Sign her up for soccer camp _now_.”

“Aw, I’m sorry,” she tries to say sympathetically, but the effect is broken when the baby kicks again and she beams at the feeling. “Now, my beautiful slave driver, can I stop for the night now if I promise all of tomorrow to your decorating whims? I’ve got this really amazing, very pregnant girlfriend and absolutely adorable son who I’d really like to cuddle on the couch with while our daughter practices to be the next Mia Hamm.”

“All day tomorrow?”

Arizona nods seriously.

“I’ll even discuss paint colors while Asa takes his naps. If we make any decisions, we can take a field trip to Lowe’s.”

“Really?”

“Yes,” Arizona laughs. “I know all this needs to get done, Calliope. I just need a break, okay?”

“Okay.”

***

“Calliope...”

“No, it’s fine, it’s...”

Callie disappears into the house, screen door slamming behind her, but her sobs still make it back to her family. Arizona and Asa are left sitting on the patio step, a bowl of Goldfish crackers between them as they look out over the lush backyard, the slightest fall chill in the air as the fireflies start to flicker.

“Mami cry.”

Arizona sighs and grabs a handful of Goldfish before taking a sip of her beer.

“Yep. Momma’s a jerk.”

Asa thoughtfully mimics her actions with his sippy cup. Arizona takes a few more swigs and a few deep breaths to push her annoyance away. Sure, they’re equally at fault in the bickering, but this time she’s okay being the bad guy. She doesn’t have the excuse of wild hormones and a parasite kicking her internal organs. Just the excuse of being on the receiving end of all of that.

“Okay, little man. We gotta fix this.”

Arizona pushes herself up and lifts Asa onto his feet, directing him towards the door before grabbing the Goldfish. She balances the bowl as she opens the door for their son, who lazily wanders into the kitchen in search of his mami.

Callie isn’t in the half-unpacked kitchen, though, nor in the haphazardly arranged living room. Arizona sets her beer and their snacks down on the coffee table and picks up Asa, heading towards what will be the playroom eventually. Callie _is_ there, seated on one of the kitchen chairs that’s migrated back here for unpacking purposes. She has a cardboard box at her feet, and she’s arranging its contents in the toy chest Addison sent Asa as a housewarming present. Her face is streaked with mascara, and she pauses every few minutes to wipe at her face with the back of her hand.

“Callie, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you,” Arizona starts, grabbing a nearby, noisy toy and handing it to Asa after she sets him on the ground to amuse himself. She takes a few steps towards Callie, closing the toy box lid and sitting opposite the distraught woman. She reaches one hand forward to wipe away a few tears and is heartened when Callie doesn’t pull away. “Please don’t cry, baby.”

Even though Callie is still obviously upset, she places her hand over Arizona’s and holds it to her cheek, still not meeting her eyes.

“It’s okay. You obviously don’t think I can decorate this house properly. That’s fine.”

“Hey, I didn’t say that. I didn’t say that at all. But I’m holding my ground on this one. We have to do this together, and you can’t take it personally every time I don’t agree.”

Callie lets out a shaky breath, and Arizona feels more of her tears on her hand. She hates this.

“But I could’ve been a little nicer about it.”

“Stop that,” Callie orders, and if Arizona weren’t firmly attached by Callie’s grip, she would’ve pulled away in surprise. “Stop placating the irrational pregnant woman. I’m a mess.”

“But you’re my mess,” Arizona says gently. “I love you. Please stop crying. You’re upsetting Asa.”

Callie opens her eyes and looks over to where Asa is obliviously entertaining himself with his favorite fire truck.

“Asa, huh?” she raises an eyebrow, her voice a little more under control.

“Okay, fine. I hate seeing you like this, especially when it’s my fault.”

“Can I paint the living room red, then?”

Arizona winces and presses her forehead to Callie’s.

“No. Sorry. Not gonna work.”

Callie manages a half-smile as Arizona adds her other hand to the task of drying her sticky tears.

“It was worth a shot,” Callie says, a little teasingly, as she leans the slightest bit forward to press her lips to Arizona’s. “Mm. You taste like beer.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Do you want me to go brush my teeth?”

Callie shakes her head and kisses her again, more insistently, tongue snaking out for a taste.

“I can at least have it second hand,” she says playfully when she pulls away.

“There’s three more in the fridge for after the little man goes to bed,” Arizona informs her, the lift of her eyebrows more than a little suggestive.

“Three? You’ll be out cold before we can get to the good part.”

***

“I’m gonna kill her,” Arizona groans, plopping into a seat in the cafeteria next to Teddy. “Well, not really. But _she’s_ killing _me_. And I can’t yell at my pregnant girlfriend! Or, I can, and I do, but then I feel like an ass.”

Teddy smiles sympathetically and slides her chocolate cake towards her best friend.

“Oh, no, thanks.”

“What?”

“Callie can’t stand chocolate right now. She’ll smell it on me. Or taste it. Either of which would keep me from enjoying the one good part of pregnancy hormones.”

“Um, number one, who the hell doesn’t like chocolate? Especially a pregnant woman!”

“I know, right?”

“And number two, ew. I did not need to know that.”

Arizona shrugs.

“Hey, we’re having Asa’s birthday party on Saturday. You’re still coming, right?”

“How could I miss the utter excitement of a toddler party?” Teddy grins. “Can I bring Matt?”

“Oh wow. Getting serious, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Well then, of course. It’s just gonna be cake and beer and burgers, though. And you’ll probably get roped into doing a little unpacking.”

“We’ll feel your pain.”

“Oh, and don’t tell Calliope, but our parents are coming for the party.”

“Why are we not telling the mother of your children that four people are coming to visit? That sounds like a disaster, Arizona.”

“Because we need help, and they want to be here for Asa’s birthday, and Callie will not be happy about any of that until it’s actually happening.  
Then, once they’re here, she’ll be fine. The planning would just stress her out.”

“I reserve the right to say I told you so.”

“Duly noted.”

***

“Look who surprised us, Calliope!”

“What did you do?”

Arizona winces at Callie’s very tight grip around her arm, wrestling free to greet her own parents as well as Carlos and Rosario.

“Where’s our little angel?” Emeline demands immediately. “Callie, you’re looking beautiful; pregnancy suits you. Where’s Asa?”

“He’s down for his nap, Mom, and we just got him down, so you’ll have to wait a little bit. How about you come in, put your stuff down, and then I give you the tour?” Arizona tries to pull all the attention towards her, studiously avoiding the gaze of a very annoyed Callie.

Daniel, Emeline, and Rosario all readily agree and follow her into the house. Carlos stays in the doorway with Callie, appraising both the house and his daughter. She’s seven months pregnant, and positively glowing, but obviously not ecstatic about his presence.

“The house is stunning, m’ija.”

Callie softens; he is the real estate expert, after all, so his praise means a lot.

“No te enojes con tu mujer. [Don’t be mad at your woman.] We all agreed it would be best to surprise you,” Carlos says, stepping in to kiss her cheek. He drops his hand to her stomach, warmly. “Y, ¿cómo está la nena? ¿Te molesta mucho?” [And how’s our baby girl? Does she bother you much?]

“All the time. But she’s good. The doctor says she’s growing very well and everything looks perfect.”

“Good. And mi nieto?” [My grandson?]

Callie beams. “He’s great, Daddy. So big and so smart. I can’t believe he’s going to be two tomorrow.”

“This mortgage. You don’t need any help, do you?”

“Daddy. We’re both attendings, remember? And thanks to you, I don’t have any student loans to deal with. Arizona went on a full-ride for undergrad, ‘cause she’s a little genius, so we just have her med school to contend with, and that’s almost paid down. We’re good, Daddy, I promise. We wouldn’t have gotten this house if we couldn’t afford it.”

“Okay. So, do you think we can catch up to the tour?”

***

Later, Emeline and Rosario commandeer the kitchen to cook dinner, and Daniel and Carlos occupy Asa in the playroom. Callie finds Arizona unpacking Asa’s clothes up in his room.

“I’m hoping that new couch is really comfortable,” Callie says, arms crossed over her chest, eyebrow raised.

“Callie,” Arizona complains. “I’m sorry, I just didn’t want to stress you. You can’t make me sleep on the couch when our parents are here...”

“Oh, I am. How could you keep this from me, Arizona? This is a major thing.”

“I didn’t want to stress you out, with the baby and everything.”

“The house is a mess! And how the hell is this less stressful? To be ambushed by my parents and my in-laws?”

“We’re moving in; they get that. If I’d told you, you would’ve spent the whole time worrying and trying to get the whole house ready. And to honest, I really couldn’t deal with you being _more_ stressed. I can’t handle ‘I’m pregnant and freaking out’ Callie any more. It’s obnoxious!”

She freezes when she realizes she said out loud. Crap.

“Oh, wow. Yeah, definitely sleeping on the couch.”

“Callie...”

“Maybe Asa’ll make room for you.”

“Come on...”

“No. You don’t get to be like this. You don’t have a tiny human in your uterus! And okay, sure, I’m being annoying, but I’m allowed to be annoying, Arizona, because I’m the one carrying our child! You don’t get to keep this huge thing from me. That’s just, not how this works. So I’m sorry this is so hard for you, but...”

“Sorry,” Rosario clears her throat from the doorway. “Dinner’s ready.”

“Bueno, mamá. We’ll be right down.”

“Do you need a few more moments?” Rosario asks, eying the two of them.

“No, no. We’re good. Sorry about that, mamá,” Arizona says repentantly, closing Asa’s drawer. She sighs and brushes past both Torres women.

“Don’t take it out on her,” Rosario tries once they’re alone.

“Don’t start with me.”

“M’ija...”

“I’m allowed to be mad here, you know? You don’t spring stuff on the pregnant lady!”

“And what does your being mad accomplish? Do you feel better, making your... Arizona suffer?”

“Mamá...”

“Your sleeping arrangements are your own business, but we’re here to celebrate Asa’s birthday and help you around the house. Quieres todo listo antes de que llegue la nena, ¿no?” [You want everything ready before the baby comes, right?]

“Claro, mamá, pero...” [Of course, mama, but...]

“Then let’s all settle down and have a good visit. Vamos. La cena espera.” [C’mon. Dinner’s waiting.]

Callie sighs and follows after her mother, feeling a little chastised. Still annoyed, of course, but maybe her mom has a little bit of a point. Maybe Arizona only has to sleep on the couch for one night.

***

“Callie?” Daniel says, sticking his head into Asa’s room as he looks for his (almost) daughter-in-law. Noticing that she’s rocking the little man in the rocking chair, he immediately drops his voice to a whisper: “Oh, sorry.”

“No, it’s fine, come in, Daniel. He’s asleep; I’m just, kinda, stuck...” Callie admits lowly, obviously a little embarrassed.

Daniel bites back a chuckle and crosses to them. With a nod of approval from Callie, he stoops to scoop up his beloved grandson. The boy snuffles and moves a little at the change in location, but quickly settles into his grandfather’s arms as he transfers the boy into his toddler bed. Daniel kisses Asa’s forehead and lays him down, then turns to Callie and offers his hand.

Callie accepts with a grateful smile as he pulls her to her feet. They quietly sneak out of the room.

“I’m very sorry that we surprised you, Callie,” Daniel says softly. “It was not our intention to upset you, and I warned both Emeline and Arizona that it could not go over well...”

“It’s not your fault, Daniel. Arizona should have told me.”

“Mm. Yes. But I certainly hope you won’t punish her too long,” Daniel grins.

“No, not too long,” Callie promises. She pauses, pressing a hand to her stomach. “Oof.”

“Are you alright?” Daniel asks, alarmed.

“Oh, yes. She’s just... kicking. Do you want to...?”

A warm smile spreads over Colonel Robbins’s face. “If I may?”

“Oh go ahead. Everyone does,” Callie somewhat playfully grouses.

Daniel drops a tentative hand to her abdomen, his smile just getting even wider.

“Oh, wow. That’s quite a Robbins kick,” he beams. “Danny kept Em’ up for days on end. Do you think she’ll look like our girl?”

Callie’s face softens. “I really hope so.”

“She was a beautiful baby, but quite a handful as she got older. Let’s hope that’s not also passed along.”

“But I’ll be ready for it,” Callie laughs.

“I’m sure you will be. You’ve done an excellent job with Asa; he’s growing into quite the little gentleman.”

“I think that’s mostly Arizona’s doing.”

“I’m sure it’s both of you. Have a good night,” Daniel leans in to kiss Callie’s cheek before heading off to one of the many spare (for now) bedrooms.

Callie grins after him. She knows Arizona still finds him to be this terrifying, imposing figure, but she’s only ever known Daniel Robbins, really, as Grandpa, and he’s kinda a big old softie.

***

Callie gets out of bed at three in the morning, having spent most of the night tossing and turning, incapable of getting comfortable without a certain warm body tucked around hers. She walks (or, rather, waddles) into the living room and grabs one of the spare pillows from the chair before whacking Arizona with it.

“Huh, what, up,” Arizona groans, sitting straight up, squinting. “Calliope?”

“Come to bed.”

“What?”

“I can’t freaking sleep without you, and this is supposed to be punishing you, not me, so get your adorable ass into bed.”

“Um, do I have to?” Arizona asks sheepishly, a little afraid of the pillow-wielding pregnant lady.

“Bed. Now, Robbins.”

Arizona usually likes those words in that authoritative tone, but not in this context. She picks herself up and hurries in to their bedroom. There, they settle back in around each other after Callie goes to the bathroom. Arizona is big spoon, since their baby girl tends to get in the way the other way around. She settles her cheek against Callie’s shoulder and slides her hand to rest against her belly. She’s surprised when Callie’s hand takes and tangles with hers.

“I love you, moron.”

Arizona smiles into Callie’s shoulder blade, dropping a kiss there.

“I love you, too. Sorry I surprised you; it wasn’t fair.”

“No, it wasn’t. But I’m sorry I’ve been so ‘ _obnoxious_ ’ that you thought you had to.”

“We’ll just blame the baby.”

Callie smiles.

“And for future reference, the couch actually is quite comfortable.”

“Really?”

“Not that I ever want to sleep there again. Ever. I’m just saying.”

“Go to bed, Arizona.”

“Goodnight, Calliope. Sweet dreams.”

Callie sighs, finally comfortable. Her dreams probably will be sweet tonight.

***

“Why won’t you marry my Calliope, Arizona?”

Arizona chokes on her lemonade, quickly setting the cup down before turning to face the force of nature that is Rosario Torres. This house is really too big to get cornered in, especially when it’s full of their friends, family, and a few new neighbors, all wishing Asa a happy second birthday. But Rosario has superpowers, and tracks her down in the playroom, where she was watching the ongoing festivities out back and getting a little bit of alone time.

Arizona steels herself and says firmly:

“I will, mamá. I want to, more than anything. But _when_ I marry your daughter, it will be for real, and no one will be able to take it away.”

Rosario studies her appraisingly, and Arizona holds her ground, trying to figure out if that is an acceptable answer.

“Okay.”

Arizona lets out a breath as Callie joins them.

“What are we talking about?” she asks lightly.

“How much I love you,” Arizona answers honestly, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

Callie looks at them both suspiciously.

“I’m going to go find the birthday boy,” Rosario says, also kissing Callie’s cheek. “Cake soon?”

“Twenty minutes or so?” Callie suggests. “Daniel was still finishing up some burgers and dogs, and Asa really seems to be enjoying that swing set Daddy managed to have delivered and installed before we finished breakfast.”

“Yeah, last I saw, he had Uncle Mark pushing him and Ally on the swings,” Arizona grins, remembering the way Sloan tried to keep up with his godson and his niece and the way Lexie was just starting to give him _that_ longing look that said Asa and his little sister may have another companion in the foreseeable future.

“It’s probably the last sunny day we’ll have until spring,” Callie says wistfully, momentarily nostalgic for the Miami sun. “We should take advantage of the backyard while we can.”

Rosario smiles and goes off in search of her grandson.

“It’s kinda nice having our parents here,” Callie admits, sitting down beside Arizona on the window seat, which affords them a somewhat hidden view of the party outside.

“Oh really?” Arizona cocks an eyebrow, fighting back a smirk.

“Wipe that look off your face,” Callie pokes at her hip. “It would be nicer if I had known they were coming.”

“Sorry,” Arizona hides her grin.

Callie sighs and drops her chin onto Arizona’s shoulder, a hand around her waist.

“I want to hold you again,” she complains, referring to being perpetual little spoon due to their growing daughter.

“Two months,” Arizona reminds her gently.

“And then we’ll have two babies fighting for space in our bed.”

“No. We’ll have a strict mommies-only bed policy.”

“Mhmm. Good luck with that; you’ll cave in a week.”

“Will not.”

“You can’t resist those big brown eyes. And there’ll be a little pair of blue right alongside. Irresistible.”

“You don’t know that she’ll have blue eyes; there are plenty of rogue genes and...”

The reference to their little girl’s genetic makeup has made Arizona tense a little, as it usually does. Callie knows she still hasn’t come to terms a hundred percent with the idea that their daughter is biologically half-her, so she squeezes the blonde’s hip reassuringly.

“I know.”

“I don’t want you to be disappointed.”

“She will be perfect if she has two heads, Arizona. I’m just playing the probabilities. You, your brother, both parents. The donor. His parents and two siblings.”

“Okay, okay. I get it.”

“Mm, good,” she drops a kiss onto Arizona’s shoulder, “Now go get a beer.”

“A beer? I’m drinking lemonade.”

Callie pouts a little. “I really miss beer. And I said twenty minutes to mamá...”

“Oh! A beer. Yes. Okay.”

“I was wondering why you were objecting to that.”

Arizona grins and leans over to kiss her briefly as she stands.

“I’ll be right back; don’t go anywhere.”

***

“The granddads have successfully completed bath time, but I’m not sure what got cleaner: the baby, the old men, or the floor.”

Callie laughs as Arizona drops to the couch beside her, Asa in her arms, all pj’ed up and freshly bathed. The two-year-old is obviously very sleepy, sucking on his pacifier and resting his cheek against his momma’s shoulder, arms around her neck.

“Oh, m’ijo,” Callie smiles, leaning over to kiss his forehead. “Do you want to see the pictures from your party?”

“Yeah,” he yawns.

“Yes, what?” Arizona prompts.

“He’s two,” Callie complains.

“It’s never too early to start. Yes, what, baby?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Asa choruses.

Callie has no idea how Arizona has already conditioned that response into their son. She shakes her head and turns so that they can see the tablet where she’s loaded the pictures, swiping through candids. Most of them are of Asa snuggling with his grandparents, eating his cake in the messiest way possible, and flirting with the Shepherd girls.

“Aw, look at that one! It’s true love,” Arizona grins, pausing Callie’s hand with gentle fingers on her wrist.

“Yeah, someone book the chapel,” Callie teases, zooming in on the adorable snapshot of one-year-old Katie leaning over out of her high chair and planting a sloppy kiss onto Asa’s messy cheek. Asa’s face is screwed up in consternation. “He’s got his momma’s way with the ladies; they can’t resist.”

Arizona laughs, and Asa grunts at the loud intrusion into his half-sleepy daze. Her fingers trail up and down his spine to soothe him as Callie starts to scroll through again.

“Oh, wow. I love that one,” Arizona says, more softly.

It’s Asa staring at a pair of flickering candles in confusion even as he draws in a breath, birthday crown askance on his beautiful dark curls, messy from play, his moms on either side of him, beaming smiles in place as they lean down to assist in blowing out the candles if necessary.

“This one’s totally getting printed.”

“Did you have a good birthday?” Arizona asks the dozing toddler.

Asa snores in response.

“That’s a yes,” Callie says with authority. She leans back against the cushions of the couch, and she can hear her parents and in-laws shuffling around upstairs. It is nice having them here; sometimes this big house feels too empty and too quiet with just the three of them to fill it up.

“Hey, this couch is pretty comfortable.”

“Don’t go getting any ideas,” Arizona teases, shifting Asa onto the fluffy pillows and leaning back herself, reaching a hand over to Callie’s belly.

“I prefer you in bed,” Callie promises. “Just, tell me and let me be a little crazy next time, okay? And tell me I’m _being_ crazy.”

“Okay.”

“Good. And when I try to make you sleep out here, remind me of last night.”

“When you whacked me with a pillow?”

“Hm. Yes.”

“Okay. I promise. Hey, happy birthing day.”

Callie grins sleepily. “Thanks. Two years ago today I was getting ripped apart from the inside; and I’m doing it again in two months.”

“’Cause you’re a rock star.”

“Yep. No surgeries this time, okay? I only want to hurl ice chips at _you_ , not some terrified intern.”

“You’re so romantic.”

“Only the best for you, baby,” Callie teases. Then she sighs. “Our house is awesome.”

“Of course it is; it’s ours.”

Callie rolls her eyes.

“I’m gonna take the little man up to bed,” Arizona suggests, readjusting him into her arms and presenting his cheek for Callie.

“Besos, m’ijo. Buenos sueños.”

Asa peeks open an eye and kinda _leans_ into his mami’s kiss, snuggling back into his momma’s arms as she rights him.

“I’ll be right down. Don’t fall asleep.”

“Mmm.”

“I’m serious, Calliope. If you fall asleep on that couch, I will grab a pillow and exact my revenge.”

“You would hit the mother of your children with a pillow?”

“Why not? You did it last night.”

Callie chuckles, eyes slipping closed as Arizona’s voice moves towards the stairs.

“You can’t hit me; I’m pregnant.”

She can almost hear Arizona’s shrug.

“I’ll aim for the face.”

***

el fin


End file.
